Machine for tapping mains



(No Model.)

l D. T. HUBBELL.

MACHINE PoR TAPHNG MA1-Ns. No. 249,526. Patented Nov. 15,1881;

N. PETERS, Pxwwmlmgmpner. wnmngmn. n. c.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID fr. HUBBELI., on BETHEL, ooNNEcrIcUT.

M ACHINE FOR TAPPI'NG MAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 249,526, dated November 15, 1881.

Application tiled April so, leal. (No model.)

. poration stop, as it is called, while the mains are filled with water or gas under pressure.

Such machines commonly comprise a box or ,case having an open.bottoln and adapted to be secured upon the exterior of themain to preveilt leakage, and two spindles or stems which carry, one a combined drill and tap and the other a corporation stop, and which may be shifted to bring first one and then the other under a socket-wrench or spindle, whereby they may be turned. t

' rllhe principal object o't' my invention is to en-` able the drill and tap and the spindle carrying the-stop-cock to be readily shifted from outside the case without any danger of wetting the workmen, and also `to provide for readily re-A moving the box or case and leaving the spindle carrying the stop-cock attached thereto when l -the plug of the stop-cock has not been previously turned to close the same, or when `the spindlecannot `bereadilyunscrewed from the stop-cock without also unscrewing the stopcock from the main.

Theinvention consists, essentially, in the combination,in amachine of the kind j ustdescrbed, of a box or case adaptedto be applied to a main,

' a socket-wrench or actuating-spindle supported in bearings outside and projecting into said box or case, asliding carriage iuclosed within said box or case and arranged below the top thereof, so that pressure `may act upon both its upper and under sides, and adaptedto be moved from the outside thereof, and two or more toolspindles inclosed entirely in said box or'case and supported in said carriage, either of which may be brought under the socket-wrench or spindleby the movement of the sliding carriage. :.shankof a combination drill and tap, and the One tool-'spindle may constitute the other may carry a corporation stop or stop-cock.

or case and the latter removed, leaving the carriage with one tool-spindle screwed into the stop-cock and the latter screwed iuto the main.

The invention also consists in a novel manner of connecting the sliding carriagewith a rod or screw, by which it is operated from the exterior of the case, and ill details of construction to be hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents alongitudinal section of a portion of a lnain and a machine embodying my invention applied thereto, and Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section thereof'.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures.

A designates the main,'and B designates the box or case of my machine,- which is open at the bottom and curved to tit the exterior of the main. Around the bottom of said box or case is a projecting ange,in which is a groove for the reception of a rubber or other packing, a, to make a water-tight joint between the box or case and the main. AThe box or case may be secured to the main by chains b, passed around the main, and connected by bolts c with crossbars B upon the ilange ot' the box vor case.

. Projecting upward above the box or case B are posts or uprights C, supporting a crossbar, C', which has a screw-threaded hole, d, in which is fitted an upright tube or sleeve, D, which is externally screw-threaded, and is provided with a hand-wheel or handle, D', whereby it may be turned. Within the tube or sleeve D is an actuating-spindle, E, provided at the top with a handle, E', and having a recess at its lower end, the whole constituting a socket- Wrench. The spindle E passes through a stuiiIlg-box, e, inthe box or case, and is provided with a collar, e', upon which thescrew-threaded sleeve or tube D may bearwhen desired to advance the spindle andwrench E downward. F designates` guides or ways which extend horizontally upon opposite sides ofthe interior IDD 2 Y i :masas of the box or case B, and are here connected at their ends, so that they form a rectangular frame ot' a size to tit snugly within said b'ox or case. As here represented, the guides or ways F are secured in place by the thumb-screwsf, inserted from the outside of the box or case, as seen in Fig. 2, and by unscrewing said screws the guides or ways would be easily detached from the box or case. Said guides. or ways might, however, be otherwise detachably se cured in place within the box or case.

G designates a carriage arranged below the top of the box or case B, and adapted to be moved along the guides or ways F, and it will be observed that water-pressure within the box or case will act equally upon the upper and lower sides 'ot' said carriage, and hence but little fricticnal resistance is offered to the movement of the carriage.

In this example of my invention thel carriage G is moved by a screw, H, which passes through a stuiing-box, g, in the box or case and engages with a nut, h, in the carriage. Outside the box or case B the screw His provided with a handle, H, and thus it will be seen that by turning said screw the carriage may be moved back and forth. The nut hengages with the carriage G by tting in a recess in its upper surface, and when the carringe and its guides are moved downward or are lowered in the box or case the nut h will be retained upon the screw and thus disconnected from the carriage.

Fitting looselyin bearings in the carriage G are two upright tool-spindles, I and J, which are both held in an elevated position when not in use by springs surrounding them between the top of the carriage, and pins j, in-

serted through said spindles. The spindles I and J are both arranged entirely within the box crease, and hence the only stuftingboxes necessary are twoone for the feed or actuating spindle E and the other for the screw H.

Both the spindles I J are squared or otherwise formed at the top to tit the wrench E, and the spindle I constitutes the shankot` a combined drill and tap, I', while the lower end of the spindle J is screwed into a stop-cock, J, which is commonly known as a corporation stop.77 In the operation of my machine,- after the box or casehas been secured upon the main, the spindle I is brought under and engaged with the wrench E,and by the screw-threaded sleeve or tube D acting on the collar e the spindle I and its drill and tap I are pressed down andthen turnedto drill and tap a hole, kin the main, and said tap is then turned backward out of the hole, thus allowing the box or case B to till with water or gas under pressure. The slidin gcarriageG is then moved alongto bring the spindle J under the wrench E, which is turned down, as before, and thus screws the stop-cock J into the hole 7c, after which the spindle is turnedback to unscrew it from the upper end of the stop-cock. The spindles I and J are, properly speaking, toola If the try-cock K or the gas within the box or ease is exhausted,

the workman may be sure that the stop-cock J is properly in place and the machine may be disconnected from the main and removed. If, on the contrary, water or gas is ejected forcibly from the try-cock K, either the workman has neglected t0 close the plug in` the stop-cock J', or the spindle J is so tirmly iixed therein that instead of being unscrewed therefrom when the spindle J was turned back it has unscrewed the cock from the hole k. In either case the spindle J should be again screwed into the stop-cock J or the stop-cock into the hole, and the thumb-screws f loosened, thus detaching the guides F from the box or case B and permitting the box or case to be moved away from the main, leaving the carriage G and the spindles I and J, and preventing any water or gas from escaping. The plug of the stop-cock may then be closedand the spindle J unscrewed therefrom, or thestopcock may be held by a wrench or tongs while the spindle is being unscrewed, thus completing the operation without wetting the workmen or other disadvantage, even if the plug of the stop-cock has not been turned to close it, or if the spindle Jhas become stuck inthe stop-cock.

In lieu of the screw H, a plain rod mightbe substituted, and a lever or other means outside the case employed to move the rod in or out. In such case a simple lug, or even a IOO head on the rod engaging with a recess in the carriage, would serve as substitutes for the nut h.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for tapping water or gas mains, the combination of a box or case adapted to be applied to a main, and a socketwrench or actuating-spindle projecting into said box or case, a sliding carriage arranged within said box or case below the top thereof, so that pressure may act upon its upper as well as its under side, and adapted to be moved from the outside of said box or case, and two IOS adapted to be applied to a main, a wrench or actuating-spindle, a sliding carriage inclosed within the box or case, and two or more toolspindles in said carriage, of guides for said carriage detachably connected with said box or case, substantially as specilied.

3, In a machine for tapping water and gas v mains, the combination of the box or ease, a thebox or ease, a nut onlug fitting in areeess wrench or actuating spindle, a sliding carin said Carriage, and a screw or rod entering "1o riage arranged within said box or ease below the box or ease and engaging with said nut or the top thereof, so as to receive pressure upon lug, substantially as speeied.

both its undei1 and upper sides, two or more DAVID T. HUBBELL; tool-spindles inclosed entirely in said boxor Witnesses: ease and supported in said carriage, guides JOHN T. PEARGE, for said carriage detaehably connected with CHARLES R. TAYLOR. 

